Дары волхвов

           Shefounditatlast. ItsurelyhadbeenmadeforJimandnooneelse. Therewasnootherlikeitinanyofthestores, andshehadturnedalloftheminsideout. Itwasaplatinumfobchainsimpleandchasteindesign, properlyproclaimingitsvaluebysubstancealoneandnotbymeretriciousornamentation —asallgoodthingsshoulddo. ItwasevenworthyofTheWatch. Assoonasshesawitsheknew thatitmustbeJim’s. Itwaslikehim. Quietnessandvalue—thedescriptionappliedtoboth. Twenty-onedollarstheytookfromherforit, andshehurriedhomewiththe87cents. Withthatchainonhiswatch Jimmightbeproperlyanxiousaboutthetimeinanycompany. Grandasthewatchwas, hesometimeslookedatitonthesly onaccountoftheoldleatherstrapthatheusedinplaceofachain. 

           WhenDellareachedhomeherintoxicationgaveway alittletoprudenceandreason. Shegotouthercurlingironsandlightedthegas andwenttoworkrepairingtheravagesmadebygenerosityaddedtolove. Whichisalwaysatremendoustask,dearfriends—amammothtask. 

           Withinfortyminutesherheadwascoveredwithtiny,close-lyingcurls thatmadeherlookwonderfullylikeatruantschoolboy. Shelookedatherreflectioninthemirrorlong, carefully,andcritically. 

           "IfJimdoesn’tkillme,"shesaidtoherself, "beforehetakesasecondlookatme, he’llsayIlooklikeaConeyIslandchorusgirl. ButwhatcouldIdo—oh!whatcouldIdo withadollarandeighty-sevencents?" 

           At7o’clockthecoffeewasmade andthefrying-panwasonthebackofthestove hotandreadytocookthechops. 

           Jimwasneverlate. Delladoubledthefobchaininherhand andsatonthecornerofthetablenearthedoorthathealwaysentered.